Common and Imagine Justice are joining with #cut50 to stand up for Incarcerated Women and their Dignity

Mothers, Sisters, Daughters…..Women are the fastest growing population in United States prisons. The conditions in which many of these women are housed and the treatment they receive is shocking:

In many states pregnant women are forced to give birth in shackles endangering both them and their baby.

The overwhelming majority of women in prison are sexual assault survivors, yet in many states male guards can strip search women and supervise them in showers and bathrooms.

80% of women in prison are mothers; yet many are sent hundreds of miles from their families making it impossible for their children to visit.

In some prisons women are denied adequate access to sanitary items forcing them to either purchase on commissary or go without proper hygiene supplies.

The Dignity Campaign, led by women who have lived in prisons and know the conditions firsthand, is empowering women to share their stories and working with state legislators to change laws in 20 states by 2020!

Will you join us?

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Empowering Women to Share their Stories

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Taking Action Across the Country

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Assembly Bill 2550: The Dignity Act California

This bill would prohibit male guards from conducting pat down searches of incarcerated women and prohibit them from entering an area where women may be in a state of undress, unless there is a risk of immediate harm. It would also require documentation of any male officers conducting pat downs or entering prohibited areas within 3 days of the incident and require the documentation to be reviewed by warden.

Bill Status:The bill unanimously passed out of the California Public Safety Committee on March 20th, 2018. Check on the bill’s latest status here.

ACLUAmerican Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, District IXLegal Services for Prisoners with ChildrenACCESS Women’s Health Justice ACT for Women and Girls American Association of University Women – California American Medical Women’s Association Asian Communities for Reproductive Justice California Attorneys for Criminal Justice California Catholic Conference, Inc. California Family Health Council California Latinas for Reproductive Justice California Medical Association California National Organization for Women California Nurses Association California Public Defenders Association Californians United for a Responsible Budget Center for Elders’ Independence Center for Restorative Justice Works Center for Young Women’s Development Critical Resistance Directors of Public Health Nursing Drug Policy Alliance Harriett Buhai Center for Family Law Latino Health Alliance Law Students for Reproductive Justice National Association of Social Workers, California Chapter National Center for Lesbian Rights National Council of Jewish Women Los Angeles National Council of Jewish Women, California Physicians for Reproductive Choice and Health Rainbow Services, Ltd. Service Employees International Union, Local 1000 Women’s Community Clinic

“More than any other state, Kentucky is struggling with an opioid addiction, and the scourge of drugs has now touched every Kentucky family,” said . “When I learned how many pregnant women and mothers were entering our justice system, I knew we had to do everything we can to get them healthy, and make sure they can care for their babies. This isn’t just about women who make mistakes, it’s about the children that get left behind. Our Commonwealth, and our country, must do better. And I hope this bill starts a national conversation on how we would want our mothers, wives, sisters, and daughters to be treated.”

Statement from Van Jones, Co-Founder of #cut50:

“Depriving incarcerated women of basic human dignity isn’t ‘tough on crime,’ it simply greases a cycle of failure that has led to generational incarceration. What’s tough is the life of those babies whose mothers are addicted, who are in and out of prison, and who can’t provide for their children. Kentucky’s ‘Dignity Bill’ gives mothers hope, and it gives their babies a chance at a stable life. Surely that’s something the right and the left can get behind.”

Statement from Holly Harris, Executive Director of the US Justice Action Network:

“This is a landmark moment for incarcerated women and mothers, who have been forgotten in the ‘me too’ movement, but who need and deserve a voice more than ever before. Kentucky has the second highest percentage of incarcerated women in the nation, and the highest percentage of children who have had an incarcerated parent. As a woman born and raised in Kentucky, I’m proud that my home state is the first to step up and set the example. Sen. Julie Raque Adams now has her place in history as the first legislator in America to pass a ‘Dignity Bill,’ and I feel certain that she has started a movement that will spread quickly across this country.”

By request of females incarcerated in Arizona prisons, the Director shall provide an unlimited supply of feminine hygiene products. Notwithstanding any other law, the Director may not charge incarcerated women for a feminine hygiene product. Feminine hygiene products include tampons, sanitary napkins, menstrual sponges, menstrual cops and similar items used for the menstrual cycle.

Bill Status:The bill stalled in committee but shortly after its first hearing, the Arizona Department of corrections changes its policy to supply up to 36 pads per month.

"Effective immediately, the department will increase the minimum baseline quantity that inmates receive each month, from 12 to 36," the Arizona Department of Corrections said in a statement. "As is the current practice, an inmate may request and, without charge, receive additional pads, if necessary. Additional product options will continue to be available through the inmate store."

Requires the Division of Corrections to have a written policy and procedure in place requiring that menstrual hygiene products be provided at no cost to incarcerated women and requires the Director and the managing official of a correctional facility to ensure that the correctional facility has a sufficient supply of menstrual hygiene products to meet the needs of the inmate population at all times.

Bill Status: Passed the Senate unanimously on March 1st and passed the house on March 27th. ✔ Approved by the Governor on April 24th 2018.Check out the latest status here.

The purpose of this bill is to give adequate access to feminine hygiene products and medical information concerning menopause and other health issues unique to women. This bill would also eliminate embarrassing practices incarcerated women are subject to by male correctional officers, like strip searches. This bill would also force the department of corrections to take into account the location of an incarcerated women's spouse of children. This would also ensure gender sensitivity training.

This bill passed through the House, Senate and all committees unanimously and with no opposition!

Dignity for Incarcerated Women Act Louisiana provides for increased access to healthcare products for incarcerated women including sanitary pads, tampons, toilet paper, and hygiene products and restricts male staff from conducting pat down searches and entering areas where incarcerated women may be undressed to preserve the dignity of women in prison.

PART 1: Healthcare ProductsWomen do not have choice or control over menstrual cycles and requirements and therefore should not be required to pay for menstrual products to insure their health and dignity. There are 2,067 women incarcerated in state and local facilities in Louisiana - 1,858 are of reproductive age and in need of these products.

Feminine HygieneIncarcerated women in Louisiana report receiving as few as 10 pads per month and 1 roll of toilet paper per week. Additional sanitary products must be purchased for a price above market value which places an undue burden on indigent women and women without family financial support.

Part 2: Correctional OfficersAllowing male officers to conduct pat down searches and enter restrooms or showers increases the possibility of sexual assault and likelihood of re-traumatization for incarcerated women.

Barring prison staff from shackling pregnant inmates, or those who have recently given birth, unless prison staff can document it is necessary for safety. Locating a correction officer within the room of an inmate in labor in a way to best ensure her privacy, and requiring the correction department to try its best to have a female officer stationed with the laboring inmate.Giving new mothers who are incarcerated the opportunity to pump and store their breast milk. Giving moms with infants in neonatal intensive care units the opportunity to regularly visit their children. Giving pregnant inmates copies of the department’s policies to ensure they know their rights. Housing inmates upon release from the hospital in a medical or mental health housing unit until discharged by a licensed health care provider. No longer charging incarcerated women for an appropriate amount of tampons and sanitary napkins. Establishing special policies for incarcerated mothers regarding visitation by their children, physical contact and frequency of visits. Requiring male staff to announce their presence when entering a woman’s cell and bar male staff from observing women showering, using the restroom or changing clothes, except in exigent circumstances.

Governor Dannel Malloy's Statement:

"This bill addresses several issues unique to the female prison population in an effort to help reduce recidivism among this group of inmates. This proposal ensures that incarcerated women who are pregnant are provided counseling and written materials, receive appropriate medical care throughout, and after, their pregnancy, and prohibits the inhumane practice of shackling during labor. Additionally, the bill ensures all women receive feminine hygiene products at no cost, and ensures that staff are properly trained in gender-specific and trauma-related issues faced by female inmates."

"A growing segment of the prison population typically is excluded from the criminal justice reform conversation and does not get the attention it deserves: primary caretaker parents behind bars. According to the Sentencing Project, in 2004, 52 percent of inmates in state prisons and 63 percent in federal prisons were parents of minor children. Most parents in prison are fathers, but the rate of female incarceration in America is growing at an alarming rate. While the number of fathers in prison increased 76 percent between 1991 and 2007, the number of mothers in prison increased by 122 percent during that period.

Presumably, the considerable growth in incarcerated parents represents a considerable growth in incarcerated primary caretaker parents. This is significant because these parents face unique challenges. Their incarceration is not their burden to alone share; it also greatly impacts their family. Many incarcerated primary caretaker parents also are faced with difficult and competing choices, like whether to use their limited funds to call home to talk with their children or to purchase hygiene products in the commissary.

It is time for this State to focus on its incarcerated primary caretaker parents and provide them with the protections they deserve."

This bill passed through the House, Senate and all committees unanimously and with no opposition!

HB 3393 directs all penal institutions, detention centers and county jails to use the least restrictive restraints necessary when the facility has actual or constructive knowledge that an inmate is pregnant. The measure prohibits the use of any kind of restraint when transporting an inmate who is in labor, while the inmate is delivering the baby, or while the inmate is recuperating from the delivery.

In the News

As introduced, requires custodians of women prisoners to provide feminine hygiene products, moisturizing soap that is not lye-based, toothbrushes and toothpaste, and any other healthcare product a custodian deems appropriate to women prisoners at no charge and in an appropriate quantity.

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Partners in Dignity

Dignity Advisory Board

Topeka K. Sam is the Director of Dignity for Incarcerated Women and Founder and Executive Director of The Ladies of Hope Ministries – The LOHM – whose mission is to help disenfranchised and marginalized women and girls transition back into society through spiritual empowerment, education, entrepreneurship and advocacy.

She is also the founder of HOPE HOUSE NYC – a safe housing space for women and girls. Topeka serves on the board of directors for Grassroots Leadership and Operation Restoration.

Topeka is a Beyond the Bars 2015 Fellow and a 2016 Justice-In-Education Scholar both from Columbia University, a 2017 Soros Justice Advocacy Fellow working on Probation and Parole Accountability, a 2018 Unlocked Futures Inaugural Cohort Member , the host of 'Last Mile, Second Chances' on SiriusXM UrbanView Channel 126 which airs at 9am est on Sundays and former national organizer for the National Council for Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Women and Girls.

Leyla Martinez is a formerly incarcerated student at Columbia University, studying Human Rights. She is also the President/Founder of Beyond the Box Initiative (BTB), which is an organization that seeks to eliminate structural barriers to higher education, housing, employment and civic participation for people who have criminal convictions.Prior to starting BTB Leyla was a Program Coordinator at the Center for Justice at Columbia University where she helped to organize events like the annual Beyond the Bars Conference, Unlocking Potential: Education is the Key and many others.

Ms. Martinez is a criminal justice reform advocate, College Liaison @ The Women's March and Community Liaison @ Hope House NYC. She has been invited to speak on panel discussions at The White House, Google, UCLA, Columbia University and other venues to discuss the devastating effects of incarceration on women, children and communities.

Prison Reentry Director at the Young Women’s Freedom Center in San Francisco

Amika Mota is the Prison Reentry Director at the Young Women’s Freedom Center in San Francisco. She began organizing for Reproductive Justice and young mothers rights over twenty years ago, as a teen mama and midwife. Her passion for criminal justice reform is rooted in her own experience. She began advocating for women in prison during her seven year incarceration in the California Department of Corrections, where she served time at both CIW and CCWF. During her time inside, she was a jailhouse lawyer, paralegal, firefighter, and mentor to many youth on the yard.The sisterhood and resiliency of the women on the inside are what motivate her to revolutionize the criminal justice system, transform what true rehabilitation and reentry look like, and promote a culture of healing and restorative justice to those most impacted by the system. She is committed to lifting up the voices, visibility and leadership of incarcerated and formerly incarcerated women.

Sue Ellen Allen is a speaker, author and activist. As a formerly incarcerated woman, she founded Reinventing Reentry, a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating and reshaping our society’s perception of formerly incarcerated individuals so they may successfully reintegrate and be given a fair chance for employment, housing, education and volunteer opportunities.In 2016, Sue Ellen was honored to be a representative for criminal justice as one of twenty-three guests of the First Lady in her box at President Obama’s final State of the Union address. Her experience in prison, her dedication to make a difference, and her trip to the White House serve as powerful examples of hope to currently and formerly incarcerated individuals that they too can have a voice in their communities.An inspiring, sought-after speaker, Sue Ellen’s many audiences include the White House, the National Press Club, the United State of Women, UC Irvine Law School, PayPal, Thunderbird School of Global Management, TEDx, Dave’s Killer Bread and Columbia University.During her seven years in prison she battled advanced breast cancer and watched her young cellmate die of medical neglect. The Slumber Party from Hell, her memoir about prison life, is a leader in addressing the price America pays as the world’s Incarceration Nation, both in tax dollars and in our humanity.

Amy Ralston Povah is an accomplished filmmaker, writer, speaker, and activist. Her efforts have focused primarily on issues related to executive clemency, criminal justice reform, conspiracy laws, women in prison, and the drug war. Amy is a Clinton-era clemency recipient who served 9 years of a 24-year sentence for “conspiracy” in an MDMA case. After her release from prison, Amy commenced impactful work, such as: founding the CAN-DO Foundation in 2004 to educate the public about the conspiracy law and to help victims of the conspiracy law seek “justice through clemency” focusing primarily on women. She produced an award winning documentary about the drug war; organized White House vigils for the prisoners profiled on the CAN-DO website to coincide with President Obama's Clemency Project 2014 and attended a White House Clemency Summit. Amy has spoken on panels about both the conspiracy law and clemency at Yale University, Vanderbilt University, Washington State University, New York University, Columbus School of Law, Georgetown and on Capitol Hill; authored Op Eds for new sources including the New York Times, Fusion, HuffPost, and The Hill. Amy has worked with the press to garner exposure for numerous prisoners seeking clemency and been quoted in almost every major media publication, plus conducted numerous radio interviews and podcasts. She has also been featured in several documentaries, including Incarcerating US, released in 2016.

I am a twenty-six year old college graduate, with an Associate's degree in Criminal Justice and a Bachelor's degree in Psychology with an emphasis in Addiction. I am currently completing my Master's degree in Legal Studies, and I have plans to begin law school by Fall of 2019. I returned home from California State prisons on November 8, 2017, after serving one year. Since my return to my community I have began to advocate for criminal justice issues. I am currently a member of Anti-recidivism Coalition (ARC), as well as an intern. I sit on the Advisory Board of the Women’s Dignity Campaign in order to assist in the restoration, protection, and assurance of dignity to women incarcerated in California state prisons.

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It's time to do something about the horrendous abuses committed against women behind bars every day. #cut50 is leading a campaign to restore Dignity to tens of thousands of incarcerated women. We need all the support we can get. Please consider making a donation today.